When we had out initial planning call many months ago, we were imagining a cold day and maybe even some snow. Anu and Edwin’s Cescaphe Vie wedding surprised us though with balmy 50 degree temperatures and rain. It turns out, the weather wasn’t the only surprise on what was a really unique (and a very Philly) wedding day. Anu and Edwin are an awesome couple. They managed to infuse their wedding day with their creativity and an amazing sense of humor. Despite the wet conditions they were determined to get outside. We coordinated a First Look with the entire bridal party in Logan Circle and captured portraits of everyone at the Art Museum before heading to The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul for a beautiful ceremony. Anu and Edwin clearly spent a lot of time thinking about how they wanted their wedding to go and especially at the reception, they scripted lots of moments that were unique to them and their relationship. Before they came out to formally greet their guests at Cescaphe Vie there was a hilarious introduction video which showed them working through a few “rejected” reception ideas. Then, they entered the party, donned in inflatable elephants and Edwin wore Jason Kelce’s genie get-up from the Eagles recent Super Bowl parade. And to be clear, I don’t mean he wore a similar genie outfit, he wore the exact genie outfit that Jason Kelce wore. They then launched into a fantastically choreographed and flawlessly performed dance routine which I gather took weeks of preparation. There was also a few performances that Edwin surprised Anu with. First, Edwin had a Dohl drummer join a violinist in an awesome duet that was really unique. Then, Michael Jackson took the dance floor to perform a medley of some of his best routines. It was an awesome night and we were so happy we could be there to capture it.

Congratulations to Anu and Edwin! Enjoy this sneak peek and be sure to wish the couple well in the comments!

I’m just going to say it: I love Armenian Weddings. Talene and Joe’s Desmond Hotel Wedding was the second Armenian wedding I’ve shot and I’m just a huge fan. From a photography perspective, the Armenian ceremony presents a unique set of challenges because 95% of the ceremony is performed with the bride and groom’s back to the church but if you are familiar with how it goes, you can find the moments where you can capture their expressions. Talene and Joe are a fantastic couple.: Joe a doctor and Talene a lawyer are both successful and kind and were just great to be around. We shot the portraits at Valley Forge Park . They took the time to find their favorite spots beforehand and even though we were racing against the waning fall light, we captured some great portraits of this happy couple at a few spots I hadn’t shot before. Afterwards, we headed to the Desmond Hotel for what is my favorite part of the Armenian wedding: the dancing. So. Much. Dancing. Every single guest was on the floor for the entire night with the exception of Talene and Joe, who spent some of that time in the air, being hoisted above the dancing crowd by their family. It was a great day and we were honored to be a part of it!

Congratulations to Talene and Joe! Enjoy the photos and be sure to wish the happy couple well in the comments below.

From the second I walked through the door of her Sheraton Society Hill hotel room on Saturday, Francesca had me laughing. Literally the very first thing she said to me was hilarious. And it continued all day. Francesca and Jason’s Society Hill wedding was filled with all the warm, romantic moments you find at most weddings, but the highlight for me of this one was the laughter. And it wasn’t just Francesca and Jason. Their wedding party, their family, their guests-everyone was clearly having the time of their lives. It was such an amazing celebration to be able to capture: from the portraits in Old City and City Hall, the ceremony at The Shambles, to the Reception at the Society Hill Dance Academy, it was a pleasure to be a part of their day and to be able to photograph this amazing couple.

Congratulations Francesca and Jason! Enjoy the photos and be sure to wish the couple well in the comments below!

Stephanie and Jon’s Manor House at Prophecy Creek Wedding was excellent! Stephanie and Jon found me in 2015 and I loved my meeting with them because I could tell how excited they were about each other and the photography on their day. In the fall we visited their alma mater, Lafayette college for their engagement shoot and we made some great photos and I got to meet Daisy, their dog who played an important role in the wedding. Stephanie and Jon’s day was particularly unique because they blended their Jewish and Hindu backgrounds and traditions throughout the day. Stephanie’s grandmother blessed Jon before the ceremony and Stephanie and Jon surprised everyone when they changed into a Sari and Sherwani (respectively) and performed a traditional Indian dance at the end of the reception. It may have also been the first time I’ve shot a wedding where the Bride had just completed her boards and the Groom had just passed the bar. That’s a lot to take on in the same year you get married. Stephanie and Jon are the true definition of a power couple and they are super kind, warm and just great people to be around. It was such an awesome day and I’m so happy we got to capture it for them.

Congratulations Stephanie and Jon! Enjoy the photos and be sure too wish them well in the comments below!

1After a rained out session earlier this month, I finally got to shoot Ida and Brian’s old city engagement photos in the most historic part of Philadelphia. Ida is a doctor and as with all my clients in the medical field, it is tough to plan on the fly. So we all crossed our fingers that the weather would work out and though it was a bit colder than a typical mid-may afternoon, we were treated to some excellent post-storm light as the sun dropped toward the horizon and we moved east through many classic Philadelphia locations. We started in Washington Square Park where Ida and Brian’s dogs Bubbles and Toast made a quick cameo in the shots, stopped in at The Second National Bank of the U.S., and ended our shoot beneath the iconic Ben Franklin Bridge at Race Street Pier. Ida and Brian were perfect subjects. They rarely needed direction from me and were able to engage with each other in the photos as if I wasn’t there. It’s uncommon for a couple to be as comfortable as they were and that comfort really comes across in the pictures. The photos turned out awesome and I can’t wait to capture their wedding at the Crystal Tea Room in August!